Daniel hops



Patented Sept. 20, I898.

D. KOPS.

BUSTLE-CORSET.

(Applicatin filed May 19, 1898.)

(N0 Model.)

UNITED STATES ATENT 'F ICEQ DANIEL KOPS, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUSTLE-CORS ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,068, dated September 20, 1898. Application filed. May 19, 1898. Serial No. 681,105 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL KOPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented an Improvementin Bustles and Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

Bustles and skirt-supporters for ladies have been constructed with steel springs connected together, andin some instances they have been fitted so as to be extended or contracted and have sometimes been made upon the skirt and in other instances separate therefrom. V

In the present improvement the bustle, which is adapted to being folded into a small compass for transportation, is provided with means for connecting it upon the corset, at the back portion thereof, so that the weight of the skirts can be held by the corset to a considerable extent, and the bustle is distended more or less and its shape controlled by the corset as it conforms to the figure of the wearer in the act of adjusting the laces. I make use of a bow-spring for the lower edge of the bustle and two springs pivoted at one end near the ends of the bottom spring and pivoted to one another at their intersection, and their opposite ends project to receive the attaching devices for connecting them upon the corset, and there is a centrally-located bracespring between the upper and lower springs of the bustle that distends the bustle when in use, or the brace-spring may be made of two parts to be folded, so that when the bus tle is removed from the corset the upper and lower parts of the bustle will come closely together and the springs be fiat and substantially in line with each other and the bustle occupy but a small space in its folded condition for transportation. 1

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the bustle; and Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, showing also a portion of the corset to which the bustle is connected. Fig. 3 shows the bustle when separate from the corset and folded for transportation, and Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams in smaller size illustrating the flattened condition of the bustle when the lacing is loose and the distended condition of the bustle when the lacing is tightened and the parts of the corset drawn closely together.

The springA forms the bottom edge of the bustle, and the springs B and G are pivoted or otherwise connected at 5 and 6 to the spring A near its respective ends, and they are united by a pivot 7 to each other at their intersection, and the brace-springs D E, centrally located, are pivoted together at 8 similar to toggles, and the upper end of the spring D is united at the pivot '7, and thepivot 9 unites the lower end of the spring E to the middle of the bottom spring A. When the parts are in their normal position of connection upon the corset, the bottom spring A assumes substantially the shape of an arc of a circle and the springs B and C extend diagonally and the ends of the springs B and 0 project, as shown, and the braces D and E keep the springs in their proper relative positions; but when the parts are removed from the corset they assume a straight condition and are folded. The springs D and E close down one against the other, and the springs B and 0 lie closely adjacent to the bottom spring A, but slightly diagonal, as shownin Fig. 3.

In consequence of the upper ends of the springs B and O projecting beyond the pivot 7 they are adapted to receive suitable fastening devices to connect them to the straps or other connections at the waist and back portion of the corset, and the projecting ends of thespring A are also to be suitably connected by straps or other fastening devices. I prefer to employ as such fastening devices the studs 10 upon the corset and near the lower edge over the hip portions, as shown at H, and over which studs 10 the ends of the spring A are hooked, there being openings in the spring A for passing the heads of the studs 10 and hooks 11 for holding the parts together after the spring has been applied to said studs on the corset; but I do not limit myself to such devices, as any equivalent fastening may be eifective. By this means the bottom of the. bustle will be firmly held to the corset itself and the springAwill be more or less distended, according'to the distance between the studs 10. These studs 10,10- cated at a given distance from the edge of the corset, will be brought nearer together'or be farther apart, according to the general or partial tightness or looseness of the corsetlacing. The lacing is regulated by the wearer in causing the corset to suit the figure and produce a comfortable fit, and the position of the studs is thus regulated and the degree of extension of the bustle automatically determined and effected as the bustle conforms to this adjustment. of corset upon a person with small hips the bustle will be distended to a greater extent than on a person with the same size waist and larger hips, so that the relations of the girth at the waist to the girth at the hips, and Vice versa, and the consequent shape assumed by the corset as laced to the figure automatically control and regulate the parts of the bustle to give greater or less extension and improve the otherwise defective natural form and cause the appearance to be more acceptable.

The upper ends of the springs B and C are to be connected to the waist at the back. This connection may be made by studs upon the back of the corset similar to the studs 10; but as these will project at the waist, where the dress is usually tighter, it is advantageous to employ straps for the connections at the projecting upper ends of the springs B C. These straps 12 are represented as attached to the corset H and passing through buckles 13 at the ends of the springs B and C, so that by this arrangement the ends of the springs B and O are curved and drawn closely adjacent to the person, so that nothing will project or give to the upper part of the corset an objectionable appearance.

The pivots which unite the respective parts together may be made in any desired manner. I, however, find it advantageous to employ small cylindrical eyelets and washers for connecting the parts and forming the pivots, and tho pivots 5 and 6 advantageously form also connections for the swinging hooks 11, that serve to hold the bustle to the studs on the corset.

In the diagram, Fig. 4, the bustle is represented as extended but little, it being understood that the figure of the wearer is such that the laced edges of the corset are at an appreciable distance apart, whereas in Fig. 5 the bustle is illustrated as distended in consequence of the corset edges being drawn near each other in lacing the corset to fit the small hips of the wearer.

I claim as my invention- 1. A bustle formed of a bottom spring A and two springs 13 and O united at their lower ends to the bottom spring and united together at the middle part of the bustle, the toggle brace-springsD andE for spreading apart the upper and lower springs of the bustle, the ends of the upper springs extending toward the waist of the wearer, and straps or other connections at such ends, substantially as set forth.

Hence with a given size 2. The bottom spring A and the upper springs B and C pivoted together and to the bottom spring near the ends thereof, in combination with the brace-springs D and E pivoted together so as to fold and pivoted to the upper and lower springs, the ends of the upper springs projecting, and buckles and fastenings for connecting said projecting ends to a corset, substantially as set forth.

3. The bustle composed of pivoted and crossing spring members having four free ends with fastening devices thereon and the corset having lacing at the back and four fastening devices at the opposite sides of the lacing (two at each side) for engaging the four fastening devices of the bustle in connecting the bustle thereto, whereby the bustle, attached only at the ends of the members, is projected by drawing up the corsetlace or made to lie flatter by letting out the corset-lace so that the distention of the bustle is automatically regulated as the corset is fitted to the person, substantially as set forth.

4. The corset having lacing atthe back and fastening devices near the lower edge over the hip portions and at the back near the waist and a bustle composed of pivotally-connected and crossing spring members with the respective free ends provided with fastening devices for engaging the said fastening devices near the lower edge and back of the corset, the general or partial looseness of the lacing effecting the flattening of the springs, and the general or partial tightness of the lacing effecting the distention of the springs, the shape of the bustle being in this manner automaticallymodified and controlled by the wearer in causing the corset to conform to the figure, substantially as specified.

5. The corset having lacing at the back and fastening devices near the lower edge over the hip portions and at the back near the waist, and abustle havingabottom spring with end connections engaging the fastenings at the hip portions, inclined crossing springs pivoted together at their intersection and to the bottom spring at their lower ends near the said hip fastening devices and connections at their upper ends for engaging the corset at the back, and a spring or resilient stay centrally located and pivoted at its respective ends to the bottom spring and to the intersection of the inclined springs whereby the springs composing the bustle are more or less distended by the general or partial loosening or tightening of the lacing as the corset conforms to the figure of the wearer, substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 17th day of May, 1898.

. DANIEL KOIS.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, S. T. I-IAVILAND. 

